Palmiet Beach, near Kleinmond, is a place of beauty — white sand, turquoise surf, and the quiet flow of the river mouth. But just beyond the dune where three wooden crosses stand lies a story of endurance, courage, and heartbreaking loss.
On 28 June 1902, the Norwegian wooden barque Gustav Adolf met its fate here. Built in 1879 in Arendal, the three-masted ship had spent decades trading across the world’s oceans. On this voyage, she was sailing from Fremantle, Australia, to Cape Town, carrying 14,000 Jarrah-wood logs for South African Railways — and a single passenger, Mr. Perkins.
After passing Port Elizabeth, a violent 14-hour storm struck. Massive waves battered the ship, and though the heavy timber cargo kept her afloat, the crew fought a losing battle to keep the sea from flooding in. Exhausted after three days, they realised they were drifting straight toward the rocky shore of Palmiet River Mouth.
Two lifeboats were launched just before the Gustav Adolf crashed into the rocks. Onshore, campers tried desperately to help guide the men to safety — but the surf was merciless. The first lifeboat was destroyed by a wave; of the five men aboard, three were lost, including Captain Geruldson. The second boat waited out the night and made it to shore at dawn, battered but alive.
From the wreckage and Jarrah logs, the survivors built two crosses to honour Captain Geruldson and passenger Perkins, whose bodies they buried. A third cross was later added for the two crewmen whose remains were never found.
Today, those three crosses still stand above Palmiet Beach — silent sentinels overlooking the sea that claimed the Gustav Adolf. A reminder of how swiftly beauty can turn to tragedy on the Cape’s storm-torn coast.
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On 28 June 1902, the Norwegian wooden barque Gustav Adolf met its fate here. Built in 1879 in Arendal, the three-masted ship had spent decades trading across the world’s oceans. On this voyage, she was sailing from Fremantle, Australia, to Cape Town, carrying 14,000 Jarrah-wood logs for South African Railways — and a single passenger, Mr. Perkins.
After passing Port Elizabeth, a violent 14-hour storm struck. Massive waves battered the ship, and though the heavy timber cargo kept her afloat, the crew fought a losing battle to keep the sea from flooding in. Exhausted after three days, they realised they were drifting straight toward the rocky shore of Palmiet River Mouth.
Two lifeboats were launched just before the Gustav Adolf crashed into the rocks. Onshore, campers tried desperately to help guide the men to safety — but the surf was merciless. The first lifeboat was destroyed by a wave; of the five men aboard, three were lost, including Captain Geruldson. The second boat waited out the night and made it to shore at dawn, battered but alive.
From the wreckage and Jarrah logs, the survivors built two crosses to honour Captain Geruldson and passenger Perkins, whose bodies they buried. A third cross was later added for the two crewmen whose remains were never found.
Today, those three crosses still stand above Palmiet Beach — silent sentinels overlooking the sea that claimed the Gustav Adolf. A reminder of how swiftly beauty can turn to tragedy on the Cape’s storm-torn coast.
???? Subscribe to Shipwreck Tales for more stories from the Graveyard of Ships — where history lies beneath the waves.
#ShipwreckTales #GustavAdolf #PalmietBeach #CapeOfStorms #OverbergCoast #Kleinmond #MaritimeHistory #TableAndTide
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